“Let’s sit,” Kade said, easing himself onto the edge of his desk, facing his friends.
Derek and Luke eyed him suspiciously as they settled into their chairs.
“What’s going on?”
Kade cleared his throat. “First you should know I admire the hell out of you two. You’re my brothers, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Which is why I’m pulling out of Blink.”
Derek was out of his seat, but Luke, ever the more rational and calm when it came to personal decisions, pulled him back.
“Let him explain,” Luke said.
“I went to see Julian. He’s not going to back down until he gets what he wants, and he’s demanding one quarter of what we’ve built.” He curled his good hand around the desk. “No fucking way will I let that happen.”
“You know we can fight him,” Derek said.
“And we’re willing to go all the way.” This from Luke.
Kade shook his head. “That’s why you’re my brothers. That’s also why I won’t let you. He’s proven he’s willing to play dirty and hurt people who don’t deserve it. People who won’t see him coming and aren’t capable of fighting back.”
“Lexie,” Derek said.
Kade nodded. “And her twin. Her sister is bipolar,” he said, trusting these two men with the truth. “And that bastard used her and dumped her like yesterday’s trash.” He couldn’t get Lexie’s face out his mind, the concern for her sister, the fear in her eyes aimed at him. “I won’t add to that.”
Derek groaned. “Let’s take a breath and regroup.”
Kade shook his head. “I called a tech mag reporter I like and trust. I’m telling the truth about my past and signing over my shares of Blink evenly between the two of you. I’m taking away Julian’s power to destroy Blink.” And to destroy his best friends and their legacy.
“Fuck no.” Derek rose and Luke did the same.
“For the record, I agree. You are every bit as much a part of this as we are,” Luke said.
Kade rolled his tight shoulders and smiled at his friends. “I appreciate that. But it’s my past threatening the empire. I’m going to handle it the only way I know how.” Ironically he was at peace with his decision. “Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything, man. You know that,” Derek said.
“When you settle with Julian, and the lawyers already said he’s going to get something if we go to court, make sure it’s the bare minimum and no part of the company.”
Luke pulled him into a brotherly hug. “I admire the hell out of you.”
Kade slapped the other man on the back, then turned to Derek.
“Are you sure there’s no other way?” Derek asked. “Like admitting to the Lila situation and we ride out the storm together?”
He shook his head. “I made some calls, spoke to some investors, and if I stic
k around, the IPO goes up in flames. But even more importantly, I won’t let him go after anyone else we care about, and if I remain a part of Blink, my gut tells me he’ll keep coming.”
“This sucks,” Derek muttered.
Kade grinned. “There are worse things in life than losing billions.”
Like losing the woman he loved.
* * *
Lexie sat with the computer open to Indeed and Monster.com, looking for a job. Kendall was at a therapy appointment, and Waffles was asleep at her feet. In another open window on her computer, she worked on her resume. She hoped Kade would give her a recommendation, although she knew it didn’t look good to have held her last job for a mere couple of weeks, and for the one before that, she lacked references. She didn’t think Kade would be looking to hurt her professionally, although deep down she knew she didn’t deserve anything from him at all. He’d already given her the biggest gift he could, not reporting her sister to the police.
As she narrowed her search choices, she decided to stick with secretarial and professional-assistant-type jobs, knowing, at the very least, that’s where her skills lay. Once she had her sister situated inpatient somewhere, she could apply for a job without worrying about Kendall wreaking havoc, at least until she was released.